The Best Tips for Moonstone Grading
Moonstone, an embodiment of the moon goddess can be one of the best gemstone jewelry choices you can make.
Its sizzling and colorful surface, which depicts the adorable coloration phenomenon known as adularescence, is what makes everyone fall for its unparalleled beauty and timeless elegance.
An epitome of peace and serenity, the “June Birthstone” is prised extensively as a budget-friendly gemstone jewelry that not only elevates personality and aesthetics but also showers bestow the wearer with its healing properties.
Marvelous and mundane moonstone jewelry range within the coloration of colorless to whitish, with a blue sheen and surface that could be translucent to opaque.
All it takes to adorn yourself with that glittering and precious moonstone ring, or that shimmering piece of moonstone pendant or moonstone necklace is just a thorough concern and consideration regarding a few factors that would help you avail the best quality moonstone.
Here are the best tips for Moonstone Jewelry Grading.
How to Get the Best Quality Moonstone Jewelry?
As fare as quality and perfection is concerned, four factors are assessed when selecting moonstone jewelry.
These are
- Colour
- Clarity
- Cut
- Weight
Let’s discuss each of them to have a better understanding of the topic.
The Colour Factor
For long enough, jewelry lovers all over the globe have reinforced that high quality, cent per cent authentic moonstone have always been graded as colourless to whitish appearance.
The whitish hue is an epitome of the energy that emanates peace and positivity, like the sacred moon god.
On top of it, the exquisite colour phenomena should display a strong and shimmering blue sheen, that takes the beauty of this marvelous gemstone to the next level. The finest quality moonstone usually has an electric blue sheen that lends a heavenly look the surface of moonstone jewelry.
Further, the shine and shimmer of this sheen should be visible from different angles. If this is’nt the case, then the moonstone is probably fake or of low value.
On the flip side, if you come across any moonstone jewelry that has a yellowish, brownish or unattractive green tint within its surface, then its far away than the best quality.
The Clarity Factor
Besides a colorless surface, what else needs to be considered in a high-quality moonstone is its surface clarity.
Moonstone jewelry that comes with a crystal clear surface, that range within being translucent to semitranslucent, tends to become the centre of attraction when worn by the wearer.
Furthermore, the stone must be free of any potential inclusions. The reason being, inclusions within the surface can interfere with the blue sheen that shines through its surface, known as the adularescence.
However, natural inclusions in the moonstone are all-together a different story. These tiny inclusions are usually minute cracks that occurred during the formation of the moonstone. Known as the centipedes, they appear like long sea creature with wide and long legs trapped within the moonstone.
The Cut Factor
Being a comparatively soft and tender gemstone, moonstone can be moulded and shaped to various designs and patterns.
However, the most common cutting style prevalent in the market is the cabochon.
When shaped in this style, the moonstone surface displays the colours and the adularescence in the most stunning way, to its best advantage.
Moonstone cabochons are typically oval, but cutters occasionally offer unusual shapes, such as the tapered sugarloaf—an angular cabochon with a square base.
When cutting a moonstone as a cabochon, the dimensions should be consistent, and the profile should not be too flat. Cabochons with a very flat surface do not show sheen well and have little value.
Faceted moonstones are becoming more popular. The cut enhances brilliance and tends to conceal any inclusions that may be present.
Carat Weight
Moonstone jewelry can differ significantly across weight.
For instance, average moonstone in the market with a blue shimmer will weight across 15-20 carats. On the other hand, moonstone with a silvery or white adularescence can go up to even 100 carats.
However, any moonstone jewelry less than 15 carat, then either its fake or of low quality.
Wrapping Up
Here are those 3 Factors that you should consider while purchasing moonstone jewelry.
- Colour: high quality moonstone would vary around being completely colourless to whitish. On top of it, it should demonstrate a blue sheen
- Clarity: Moonstone lends the best beauty when offered with a translucent surface, free of any inclusions.
- Cut: The most adored cut in the market is the cabochon.
- Carat: Anything less than 15 carat must be avoided to be on a safer side
